Update - Induction Announcement

Well yesterday was an interesting day; the temperature hit 86F - that's
around 28C for those of you in old money - and in the midst of the melting
tarmac (and melting parents to be) we headed off to our first hospital
appointment since going over the due date of July 4th.



We sat in a waiting room full of angry, hot, frustrated expectant mothers
and tired, harried looking, frustrated expectant fathers. DW proclaimed that
unless they did something for the heat in this place she was having this
baby at home! My mental observation that 'the NHS control over the weather
pattern was an ability I had not previously been aware of,' I wisely left
unspoken.



We were finally ushered into an examination room - which strangely was
cooler than outside, perhaps there is something to this NHS weather control
theory after all - and the midwife started the exam.



A little worried by junior - his rate of growth is still within normal
bounds but has reduced considerably form his earlier progress, indeed he
hasn't grown since the last week.



Blood pressure slightly elevated - perhaps you should've taken it before
telling us you were worried about junior? DW muttered archly.



Heart rate for both DW and junior are stable and strong.



Time for an internal and would DW like a membrane sweep?



Will it hurt?



More discomfort than pain.



Will it help?



Usually yes, a women came in last week who was 8 days over, demanding a
C-section, she had the sweep and was back 3 hours later giving birth!



BRING IT ON!!!



Junior could not be any lower.



Cervix is ripe and well forward.



Junior's head can be touched and is protected by a small pocket of fluid.



Sweep occurs with no pain involved, just an increase in pressure and the
result.., DW is 2 - 3 centimetres dilated.



Happy DW!!



Midwife sits down and starts 'grading' the cervix. Apparently if the marks
reach 8, they can break the water and start things off. DW's cervix gets a 7
(what nothing for artistic merit?).



Let's check with the doctor and the schedule and find an induction date -
though I think we're fully booked, it will probably be ten days from now
unless the things progress naturally.



Wait, wait, wait, wait.., are you insane? DW is 8 days over and you think
she can go another 10 days without killing something?!! Oh no, no, no, get
the crochet hook out, bring on the salad spoons, you can't do that to us!!!



Off the midwife goes, leaving us to contemplate another week of scorching
temperatures and searing frustration.



Good news; a women due for induction Thursday, was admitted an hour ago and
is presumably somewhere above us in a delivery suite, feeling the kind of
pain DW is really looking forward to. DW can be induced Thursday, just call
the ward at 8 in the morning - Ha! If junior isn't here by then DW will be
banging the damn doors down at 8am - and they'll arrange a bed.



What about the water birth - will induction stop DW having a water birth?



Depends on the type of induction, if it is just a matter of breaking the
waters then it shouldn't be a problem if there is chemical/hormonal
treatment then no, but given the 'ripeness' of the cervix that shouldn't be
the case anyway.



Besides now the sweep has taken place, there is a good chance junior will
arrive before his induction date anyway - just keep active and see how
things progress.



So off we go back home, but finally with a target date - by Thursday night
the chances are we'll be parents, possibly before if DW can stay active.



The heat hits us, DW stay active in this heat? More chance of me being able
to give birth for her!



She melts, but as we drive home she's feeling more positive than she has in
weeks, and spends the rest of the day doing pelvic rocks on her exercise
ball - best buy this pregnancy let me tell you - in the shade of the
backroom and repeating her mantra 'Out ya little beggar, out ya little
beggar, out ya little beggar..,'



Today though, still no pain, no contractions, certainly no need to grab my
swimming cossie and head off to the hospital, but the pressure is off and we're
both more relaxed about things. Life is still on-hold, but we know that come
tomorrow morning at the latest, that will change. This whole surreal feeling
of being on a bad reality hidden camera show will change and I and DW will
meet DS for the first time, and our lives will not only continue but change
in ways we can't imagine.



We couldn't be happier



Regards to all



Rob